Bills-Vikings DFS Picks: Best Value Plays, NFL Week 9

Week 9’s Monday Night Football matchup pits the No. 1 offense against the No. 1 defense in a potential Super Bowl preview. The two 6-1 squads meet at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota, with the Bills looking to win their fourth straight game and stay undefeated on the road. The Vikings suffered their first loss of the season last week and will look to bounce back without starting QB Kyler Murray, who is ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Here are the best DFS picks for Monday night’s Bills vs. Vikings matchup. Be sure to check out our NFL betting trends page for data and odds on every game.

Bills vs. Vikings DFS Picks

Pos	Player	Matchup	FPPG	Salary
MVP	👑 Carson Wentz	BUF @ MIN	12.8	$13,500
FLEX	Josh Allen	BUF @ MIN	28.5	$11,400
FLEX	Justin Jefferson	BUF @ MIN	14.4	$9,800
FLEX	T.J. Hockenson	BUF @ MIN	11.6	$5,400
FLEX	Jordan Mason	BUF @ MIN	6.9	$6,400
FLEX	Ty Johnson	BUF @ MIN	6.7	$3,400

👑 Carson Wentz, MIN/QB/MVP ($13,500)

We begin our MNF DFS lineup with Murray’s backup, Carson Wentz. The veteran QB will play in his third game this season, having come in for Murray after he suffered a concussion in Week 1. The former No. 2 overall pick turned in two strong performances filling in for Murray, leading the Vikings to a 2-0 record with 3 TDs combined across the two games. He now looks to lead his team to another win against a Bills defense that has struggled badly against opposing QBs this season.

Buffalo is conceding the 30th-most passing yards per game (254.7) and allowing 25.9 PPG. The Bills conceded two or more passing TDs in five of six games before their Week 7 bye, and had their strongest performance of the season last week against Ravens third-string QB Joe Fagnano. Wentz’s 3 TDs in two games are just two fewer than Murray, who has started the other five games this season. The 33-year-old has been very comfortable pushing the ball downfield in Kevin O’Connell’s system, and a defense this susceptible to big games will struggle to shut down a veteran with so much experience.

Josh Allen, BUF/QB ($11,400)

MVP favorite Josh Allen will try to continue his historic season against arguably the toughest defense he has faced this year. The Bills’ superstar takes on a Minnesota side conceding a league-low 13.3 points and just 154.9 passing yards per game. Allen enters the primetime matchup with the second-most rushing TDs (9) in the league, along with 11 through the air. His 38.57 rushing yards per game rank second in the league, and the dual-threat QB will look to use his versatility to avoid a relentless Vikings pass rush.

Allen, who is taking just 1.9 sacks per contest, faces a Vikings squad leading the league with 25 sacks this season. His mobility and ability to extend plays should allow the 30-year-old to pick apart Brian Flores’ ultra-aggressive defense. Minnesota blitzes at a league-high 73.1% rate, and Allen should welcome that, having completed 65.7% of his passes when blitzed this season. Picking which of Allen’s weapons he will lean on most has proven difficult, but taking the superstar QB ensures a steady share of points whether he attacks through the air or on the ground, as he so often has.

Justin Jefferson, MIN/WR ($9,800)

Minnesota superstar WR Justin Jefferson has been vocal about wanting the ball more, and Monday could be the game he breaks out. The former LSU star has had a slow first half by his standards, though arguably his best performances have come with Wentz under center. He scored two of Wentz’s three TDs this season and has 45 receptions for 624 yards across seven games with Wentz over the past two seasons.

Wentz has not been shy about targeting his star wideout, with 50 targets to Jefferson across five starts in the last two seasons. Jefferson, who averages 6.7 targets per game this season, saw 15 combined in the two games with Wentz. The Bills’ secondary has struggled against wideouts all season and is conceding the fifth-most fantasy points per game to the position through seven games. Jefferson enters Monday with a team-high 22.1% target share and could see even more with WR Jauan Jennings ruled out. While Minnesota’s defense has avoided shootouts this season, Jefferson and the offense may need to be more aggressive with Buffalo on the other side.

T.J. Hockenson, MIN/TE ($5,400)

T.J. Hockenson will look to make it three straight games with a TD when he faces the Bills on Monday evening. The veteran TE caught his first TD of the season from Wentz back in Week 1 and will look to connect with the Vikings backup again in primetime. Hockenson’s 20.4% target share is second only to Jefferson, and the 29-year-old has been particularly effective since returning from a Week 5 concussion. He has 4 receptions in back-to-back games, and his 31 on the season are tied for 12th at the position.

The former first-round pick enters Monday with the second-most red-zone targets on the team behind Jefferson and has been targeted near the goal line over the last two games. He has a favorable matchup against a Buffalo defense surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points (12.8) to tight ends this season. With Buffalo’s blitz-heavy approach, Wentz should lean on Hockenson over the middle as one of his most reliable safety blankets.

Jordan Mason, MIN/RB ($6,400)

After missing a big chunk of the start of the season, veteran RB Jordan Mason has returned and formed a solid one-two punch with fellow RB Aaron Jones Sr. It would not be a surprise to see O’Connell look to establish the run to help his backup QB, and both Jones and Mason will have plenty of opportunities against a Buffalo front that has struggled against the run all season. While the Bills rank in the top 10 in rushing yards allowed at under 100 per game, RBs have still been highly effective for fantasy in the red zone and the short passing game.

Mason has seen just two targets in limited game time this season, though the fifth-year back could play a role with Wentz under center. He saw just 8 carries in the Week 8 loss but had 30 across the two games prior. The Vikings have a clear emphasis on running the ball this season, and O’Connell has leaned on a two-back system with both Jones and Mason since Mason’s return. The 27-year-old should see a more typical workload with Minnesota trying to limit the Bills’ offense and control the tempo.

Ty Johnson, BUF/RB ($3,400)

One of the most underrated playmakers on the Bills offense has been backup RB Ty Johnson, who continues to make plays whenever he touches the field. The 29-year-old is used almost strictly on special teams and as a receiver, but he continues to shine despite limited touches. His 15 receptions rank in the top five among RBs, and he enters Monday with multiple receptions in all five of his games this season.

Johnson has caught all 15 of his targets through his first five games and is averaging a whopping 11.6 yards per reception, with most of his catches coming in the backfield or the flats. With the Vikings blitzing so often, he should be in line for another efficient game as a safety valve for Allen in the short passing game. At just $3,400, Johnson provides solid upside as one of Allen’s favorite targets this season.

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